Vitamins that will help you lose weight?

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Does anyone know if there are any vitamins that help increase your metabolism or help you to lose more weight? I heard that if you take Iron or Zinc it helps by clearing out your thryoid gland; is this true? Also, if there are any vitamins that will help, do any of you take them and are they working for you?? Thanks! :happy:

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  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Aside from caffeine-containing thermogenics, the only supplement that I've seen any good studies on were butyrate and prebiotics or very concentrated probiotics. Butyrate is hard to find and smells like vomit, but I've used it with good results. Prebiotics are basically any fiber tablet. Probiotics are in yogurt but you can also buy tablets. Unless there are billions per capsule, don't buy it.
  • harleygirlT
    harleygirlT Posts: 223 Member
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    I hear Chromium is supposed to help and Green Tea!
  • BelleHeart
    BelleHeart Posts: 281 Member
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    B-6 and B-12 both increase your metabolism
  • Prek2005
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    Does anyone know if there are any vitamins that help increase your metabolism or help you to lose more weight? I heard that if you take Iron or Zinc it helps by clearing out your thryoid gland; is this true? Also, if there are any vitamins that will help, do any of you take them and are they working for you?? Thanks! :happy:

    Iron is a trace mineral found in the hemoglobin molecule of red blood cells, the part of the blood that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron is use to treat people such as myself who has iron deficiency anemia or fatigue, for anything taking an iron supplement will make you gain weight. As, for as zinc goes it is use to help your immune system. I would recommend that you take a vitamin B-complex, vitamin B-6, and B-2 to help you burn calories and boost metabolism.
  • Collinsky
    Collinsky Posts: 593 Member
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    There are some vitamins/minerals that are necessary for a healthy metabolism. That doesn't mean that taking them will necessarily "speed your metabolism up" but they can certainly be helpful. What springs to my mind is what others said: B vitamins (if taken as a supplement, they should usually be taken as a complex, since they're made to work together). Since B vitamins are also helpful in mood regulation, they can be additionally effective if any kind of depression/anxiety derail your motivation.

    Are you asking specifically about micronutrients, or any kind of supplement?
  • kasafrass
    kasafrass Posts: 50 Member
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    Thanks everyone!! I will be sure to pick up some Vitamin B pills very soon :)

    @collinsky -- I don't know that much about micronutrients or supplements yet, so all I can say with my lack of knowledge is that I am already on a weight loss supplement from GNC called Burn 60 (and I also have chews that decrease appetite and give you energy) and was looking for a couple vitamins that might also help increase metabolism.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
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    Vitamins B should be taken in a complex (all vitamins B are included).
    If you only take one vit B, for example only B6, you have a risk of getting a deficiency of the other vitamins B.

    Before taking any supplement, labeled ''natural'' or not, you should ask your doctor. No one on this board is certified to give medical advices and it's against MFP policy.
  • chaitrex
    chaitrex Posts: 94 Member
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    B vitamins are good, but Ive also heard excellent things about vitamin c in different studies. Skip the confusion and take a good mutlivitamin :)
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    If you have concerns that you are deficient in certain vitamins or minerals you should go to your doctor for a checkup. Once you know what is missing you can supplement as recommended.
    Otherwise, I tend to think that most supplements are just creating rather expensive pee.
  • denacoe
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    A multi vitamin, Fish oil (omega 3, 6, and 9 supplement), and making sure you are eating a balanced diet.
  • TheFitnessTutor
    TheFitnessTutor Posts: 356 Member
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    The long and short of it, NO!

    It's just marketing. Of course someone can do a study that shows some miniscule difference over a placebo when taking "insert product here" If there was one, trust me, you wouldn't have to ask because you'd know, right? Ever walk into a supplement shop? well you could use everything in there right? Marketing.

    I mean yea, you can stack some caffeine with some this or that and it will rev up your caloric output and caffeine actually helps release fatty acids into the blood stream but you're talking an amount that is probably only worth mentioning when working towards some very tight parameters like a competition. Otherwise don't bother with it. B-vitamins? Is this craze/fad not over with yet? What about fish oil, epa, dha? Something most people are really insufficient in which will have a way better benefit overall. A general multi should have enough b complex in it, see that it does. Then go invest in some fish oil. A proper deficit trumps all exercise and vitamins or supplements when it comes to fat burning. You're taking this and that already. You're merely taking caffeine. And nothing "gives you energy." But you can trick your adrenals into an acute malfunction which sends you into a little version of "flight or fight" mechanism. But this takes a toll on the body. Everything has a check and balance. Think of it as borrowing energy from another source within your body. You take something away you want to be careful to give it back right? And doesn't everything seem to boost your metabolism? How is that? How are there 10 different supplements that help boost metabolism? The truth is if you want to boost metabolism, then learn the basics of eating and macronutrient distribution and learn how to do your basic complex work out. Proper squats, presses, rows, deadlift, etc. And even if supplement A did help you, how long will you take it? what will you do after you stop taking it. Then you're back at square one without having learned anything.
    www.TheFitnessTutor.com
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    The long and short of it, NO!

    It's just marketing. Of course someone can do a study that shows some miniscule difference over a placebo when taking "insert product here" If there was one, trust me, you wouldn't have to ask because you'd know, right? Ever walk into a supplement shop? well you could use everything in there right? Marketing.

    I mean yea, you can stack some caffeine with some this or that and it will rev up your caloric output and caffeine actually helps release fatty acids into the blood stream but you're talking an amount that is probably only worth mentioning when working towards some very tight parameters like a competition. Otherwise don't bother with it. B-vitamins? Is this craze/fad not over with yet? What about fish oil, epa, dha? Something most people are really insufficient in which will have a way better benefit overall. A general multi should have enough b complex in it, see that it does. Then go invest in some fish oil. A proper deficit trumps all exercise and vitamins or supplements when it comes to fat burning. You're taking this and that already. You're merely taking caffeine. And nothing "gives you energy." But you can trick your adrenals into an acute malfunction which sends you into a little version of "flight or fight" mechanism. But this takes a toll on the body. Everything has a check and balance. Think of it as borrowing energy from another source within your body. You take something away you want to be careful to give it back right? And doesn't everything seem to boost your metabolism? How is that? How are there 10 different supplements that help boost metabolism? The truth is if you want to boost metabolism, then learn the basics of eating and macronutrient distribution and learn how to do your basic complex work out. Proper squats, presses, rows, deadlift, etc. And even if supplement A did help you, how long will you take it? what will you do after you stop taking it. Then you're back at square one without having learned anything.
    www.TheFitnessTutor.com

    I certainly agree that everyone requires a strong base of nutritional and exercise habits. But if you really look at the literature, there are plenty of phytonutrients, fibers, and other supplements that either have a stimulatory effect, change the microflora of the gut, or even change mitochondrial function. Yes there's marketing, but here are also effective nutrients. The problem is that not everyone has access to all the PubMed/MedLine etc. databases.
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
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    Quality multi-vitamin, fish oil, and perhaps some supplemental vitamin D3 are all I'd recommend.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
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    Vitamin D3, 1000 mg a day, within a week of starting it my energy levels went out the roof and my winter SAD has been much improved. Ihave "heard" that it can help with belly fat (although i have no studies to prove that). I just love the energy and mood boosting benefits
  • xtinashort
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    I've heard Cinnamon is a good fat burner! It has many advatages to it, but fat burning is one of them! You can get them at a vitamin store most likely, they come in capsules =)
  • 0PhAtDaDdY
    0PhAtDaDdY Posts: 569 Member
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  • YukonJoy
    YukonJoy Posts: 1,279 Member
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    I know two!!

    Diet

    Exercise
  • TrueBlueBruin78
    TrueBlueBruin78 Posts: 311 Member
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    Green tea extract (ECGG) is a good choice to help get rid of unwanted belly fat.